What is the Ideal Home Temperature?

February 17, 2016

Some like it hot and some like it cold, but everyone likes a lower energy bill at the end of each month. And although everyone has their own go-to home climate, there are optimal home temperatures to keep in mind that will keep you comfortable and potentially save you money.

The best temperature for sleeping

Our ancient ancestors allegedly slept in caves. Cool, dark and quiet, these rock openings and overhangs offered solace from the brand new world emerging outside, and the cooler air inside also helped induce sleep and prevent insomnia.
Even today, there are still ways to recreate some of the idealized sleep settings enjoyed by the ancients. One of these settings, temperature, calls for lowering the thermostat to a cool 20 degrees Celsius. Not only does lowering the night temperature of your room to this level help you sleep better, but also helps reduce the amount of heating and cooling needed to bring your home up to daytime temperatures come morning.

Tip: If you have a programmable thermostat, you can pre-set a cooling cycle to gradually lower the temperature of your home throughout the night.

An empty nest

A cardinal rule to saving money on your energy bill is ensuring you are not heating or cooling an empty home. Whether leaving for work or leaving for a month, always set your thermostat to an optimal temperature. Since extreme heat or cold can damage your home, you also want to ensure too much effort is not required to bring your home up to a normal temperature upon your return.

For summer:

When the summer sun shines high on days that never seem to end, you might find yourself spending more time away from your home. But while you’re out at work, reading a book in the park or heading to a cottage for the weekend, ensure extreme heat doesn’t damage your home or make your homecoming unbearably toasty (followed by an expensive cooldown).

To help combat the heat, try setting your thermostat up 2-3 degrees Celsius higher than normal. This ensures your home isn’t being kept an expensive ice box in sweltering heat, but also prevents high temperatures from overworking expensive cooling appliances, such as your refrigerator, air conditioning unit or freezer.

For winter:

As winter is the opposite of summer, treat your seasonal home temperatures accordingly. In winter, you want to make sure an empty home is up to 2-3 degrees Celsius cooler than your at-home temperature. This ensures you aren’t heating empty rooms, but also keeps it warm enough to make the return to normal temperatures upon your return a quick and efficient process.

You might want to adjust your set back temperature based on the temperature outside. During periods of extreme heat, or cold, you equipment might not be able to handle as large of a temperature set back. If you notice that it is taking too long to bring your home back to its desired temperature, reduce your temperature set back.

If you’re leaving your home in winter for more than a couple weeks, the temperature should not be any lower than 10 degrees Celsius. Anything lower than this temperature means you run the risk of freezing and bursting pipes. Always exercise proper winter preparations before leaving your home for an extended winter excursion.